Citation

Xu J, Chen ZH, Kong FX, Zheng ZJ, Zhang HS, Wang YP. Ergonomics 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/00140139.2023.2278395

PMID

37909270

Abstract

Many small-spacing interchanges (SSI) appear with the improvement of the expressway network. To study the speed and mental workload characteristics in the SSI and acquire the mechanism of the influence of speed on the drivers' workload, 37 participants were recruited to perform a field driving test. Each driver performed four driving conditions (i.e., ramp-mainline, mainline-ramp, mainline driving, and auxiliary lane driving). The speed and drivers' electrocardiogram (ECG) data were collected using SpeedBox speed acquisition equipment and PhysioLAB physiological instrument. The heart rate increase (HRI) index was proposed to analyze the drivers' mental workload regularity. The relationship model between speed and HRI was developed to examine the impact of speed on HRI. The results show that the speed variation in the SSI displayed two patterns: "decrease - increase and continuous decrease." The drivers' HRI variation presented four patterns: "convex curve and continuously increasing, " etc. SSI's influenced area length is given based on the speed and HRI variation regularity. HRI is significantly higher when driving in the ramp-mainline condition in the SSI than when driving in other conditions, indicating that drivers are more nervous when merging with the mainline traffic. HRI increases significantly in the first 50% of the weaving area in four driving conditions, indicating that vehicle weaving greatly influences the drivers' mental workload. A positive correlation exists between vehicle speed and drivers' HRI without interference from other vehicles and road alignment.

Language: en

Keywords

driver behavior; expressway; high-density interchanges; interchange; mental workload; road engineering; small-spacing interchanges